


Jailhouse, all the free time you ever wanted

by issen4



Category: HIStory 3: 圈套 | HIStory 3: Trapped, HIStory3 - 圈套 | HIStory3: Trap
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-21
Updated: 2019-07-09
Packaged: 2020-05-16 01:07:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19307542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/issen4/pseuds/issen4
Summary: Prison wasn't turning out the way Tang Yi expected.





	1. I'm in here and listening

**Author's Note:**

> My interpretation of Tang Yi's time in prison. ETA: There's no overarching plot, just a series of Tang Yi's interactions.

Prison wasn't turning out the way Tang Yi envisioned.

Oh, he'd expected to be frustrated by the loss of liberty, at the fact that he was now forced to spend his days stuck behind bars and be subject to the numerous official and unofficial rules enforced by the guards and the other inmates. He was furious at being constrained against his will, and tired of having to maintain a heightened sense of awareness and danger now that he didn't have bodyguards. He felt the burden of leaving the work of legitimising Xing Tian Meng on hold. He worried about Hong Ye and missed Shao Fei desperately.

Between his personal reputation, the grapevine about his and Meng Shao Fei's relationship, and the tough but (mostly) fair system ran by the prison guards, Tang Yi found that he didn't have as much a problem as he thought. The living conditions inside were basic: the meals were simple fare, his bed was but a narrow cot with a thin blanket, but these were already an improvement on the days he had been homeless on the streets, first by himself and later with Hong Ye. Very few of the inmates bothered him. He'd had to aim a few death glares (and at one point, a well-placed, if discreet, punch) in the first few days but those challenges had tapered off for now.

Even having time to brood was something he'd expected, but despite the long nights he'd managed to stop himself from spiralling anew into grief about Tang-ye (and about his birth mother and Chen Wen Hao). Regrets would always be there, and Tang Yi hoped that one day he would be able to put those ghosts of his to rest.

What he did not expect was:

"...and then Gu Dao Yi had the cheek to say that it didn't matter what he wore, the bride was the most important on that day anyway."

"Hong Ye-"

"After all the effort I put into finding him the perfect suit!" Her eyes seemed to drill into him with the force of a burning sun. "He doesn't listen to me anymore. Oh, he still goes 'Xiaojie, Xiaojie' even though I've told him to stop. No, obviously he does it to irritate me, _because_ I told to stop it." She looked like she was on the verge of pounding the table, which certainly would have put an end to the visit.

Tang Yi didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

"All I wanted was for things to turn out perfect," she said after a moment, picking up the thread of her grievances without a hitch. "He should know how busy I'm with the company, and especially now that I've taken over more of Xing Tian Meng's businesses (the ones that you had started to reform, Brother), so my time is limited. It's not like I'm asking that much of him. He just has to support me. He acts like he's so gentle and protective, when in reality he's so damn stubborn. Argh!" 

Even the prison guard standing in the corner looked up at that. "Hey, no shouting," he said.

"Sorry!" Hong Ye said, but continued to Tang Yi, "Honestly, I think he just assumes that a big event like this happens spontaneously. They don't. Someone has to organise it, and it's me."

"My dear sister," he finally managed to say. "The wedding's not for another two years. Do you really need to start planning already?" He was a little guilty about that, because she had insisted that she would wait for him to be released first. 

"Are you saying it's my fault?" she asked. Her eyes had narrowed.

Tang Yi didn't feel safe, even from behind the plexiglass barrier. "I didn't say that," he said. 

"Good," she said. 

***

Then, even more perplexingly:

"…god knows I'd been expecting it, or more precisely, dreading it. My past, finally catching up with me."

Tang Yi went, "…".

"I know I haven't exactly been an angel. Joined a gang while I was still in high school, and then after the army, I went to work as a mercenary all over the world. It was a wild time. But eventually you see too much shit, and you get sick of that kind of life. So I took up the offer with International Crimes to infiltrate Xing Tian Meng. It was a way to turn my life around. Then seeing you and Officer Meng make a pair of it, makes a man think, you know? Got to know Shorty then, and he's-"

The speaker – Tang Yi wasn't sure what to call him – paused to sigh, both in resignation and appreciation. 

"I realised from your example that when you meet the one, it's pure foolishness to pass it up," he told Tang Yi. "Shorty is… he's amazing. You think he's this timid and naïve cop, but I'd forgotten that he's been with Officer Meng since they met in the police academy, and Officer Meng doesn't suffer fools gladly either. He's a much better cop than you'd believe, and he's incredibly insightful, and there isn't a thing he doesn't know about electronic and cyber security. He's full of contrasts: modest, then audacious, body-shy at times but a bit sex-starved, when he lets himself go…"

Tang Yi was very sure that he wasn't the intended recipient of such reminiscences, and was tempted to shut the man up. But that would mean going back to wait in his cell, and that was already proving to be tedious. He'd rather watch paint dry here. Still, there had to be a point to the man's presence here. He already knew that Shao Fei would be absent this week because there was a big operation this week that involved the entire team and (almost certainly) many sleepless nights. Shao Fei had assured him that he would not be on the frontline this time, but the behind the scenes coordination were definitely just as, if not more, time-consuming. That, at least Tang Yi knew from his own similar experiences. He had resigned himself that morning to missing Shao Fei, only to be informed that he had a visitor…

"…the more you know Zhao Zi, the more you realise that…"

And now this. There was a limit to how much inconsequential, lovelorn chatter a man should be subject to. He interrupted Jack's flood of confidences, "No, wait. Why are you even here, Jack? I know that isn’t your name, but you've not told me your real name."

"It is Jack. Jack Fang." 

"Right." Tang Yi went on, "like I said, why are you even here? I've yet to ask you to give a good accounting of why you decided to infiltrate Xing Tian Meng. Which was absolutely despicable behaviour, by the way, and if it were up to me, you wouldn’t get a pass even if you managed to identify the remaining Xing Tian Meng members who were secretly dealing drugs. So."

He leant forward. "Why. Are. You. Here. I don't even like you."

A look of dismay and disappointment failed to appear on Jack's face. He continued to look at Tang Yi, his expression unthreatening yet friendly. It was a front that Tang Yi knew well, one of the things that he used to admire about Jack, until it was turned on him.

From the reflection on the window, Tang Yi could see the guard standing at the side turning his head to observe them directly, probably expecting Tang Yi to do something violent after that outburst. 

Tang Yi forced himself to cool down, though he didn't take his gaze away. "No, why are you really here?" he asked, letting his real curiosity colour his voice as he sat back, regarding his previous subordinate with- not exactly suspicion, but with wariness. 

The revelation that Jack had been a spy for the police had come at a point when everything was mixed up with the fallout from his confrontation with Chen Wen Hao and later Zhou Guan Zhi, not to mention Shao Fei being shot by him. At that time, he simply hadn't had time to process his fury with Jack's betrayal, and afterwards he'd been busy dealing with Shao Fei's recovery, his own arrest, his trial, and putting in order what parts of Xing Tian Meng's affairs he could before he had to surrender himself to the police to start serving his sentence. 

Hong Ye and Brother Dao Yi would help, but the bulk of cleaning up the gang's businesses had to be put on hold until he was released. Among other things, Brother Dao Yi had instructions to see that anyone who wanted to quit Xing Tian Meng could do so without repercussions and if needed, would be assisted to start a new, non-gang related life.

Somehow, Jack had fallen into that last category without, Tang Yi was sure, intending to. It'd meant that he didn't have to be linked with Xing Tian Meng anymore. Tang Yi wasn't pleased about that. But he'd made his peace with it, enough to be amused at finding that Jack was dating Shao Fei's partner.

The man finally looked up, his usual expression of friendly neutrality now mixed with a hint of reluctance. "Shorty- I mean Zhao Zi, Officer Meng's partner-"

"I know who he is." What kind of boyfriend was he, if he didn't even know who Shao Fei's work partner was, especially when Shao Fei was in a job as dangerous as a cop where having someone trustworthy at your back was essential? He noted with interest that Jack had been referring to Shao Fei as Officer Meng all this while. So he wasn't on casual terms with Shao Fei yet.

Jack exhaled. "Right," he said. A longer pause. Then, "Shorty said I had to come and explain myself to you. Because apparently it goes against his morals that I'm a snitch. Was a snitch." He eyed Tang Yi as though suddenly thinking of something. "You didn't say anything about me to Officer Meng, did you, ex-boss?"

Was he assuming that Tang Yi made Shao Fei complain to Zhao Zi about what a lying rat he really was? "It would serve you right if I did," he said. 

Again, Tang Yi was not a coward by any means, but he was glad that they were separated by a wall and armed guards, if the sudden glint in the other man's eyes was anything to go by. "I did not say anything," he clarified. "You overestimate your own importance."

The side of Jack's lips quirked in an expression that Tang Yi belatedly identified as chagrin. It was a decidedly unfamiliar look on him. "Sorry, ex-boss," Jack apologised cheerfully and insincerely. "It's just that, you wouldn't believe how pissed off Shorty got at me, when he realised that not only was I a snitch, I hadn't said anything to you about it. He said his grandma had told him that people should always admit to their past mistakes."

Unable to resist, Tang Yi asked, "Did he say you had to apologise to me?"

Jack blinked at him, his smiling mask back in place. "I thought I did."

***

And there was this:

"…just because he's known you longer, doesn't mean that he gets to tell me whether I should be visiting you or not-"

Even though only Andy's shoulders and head were visible from his vantage point, Tang Yi could tell that Andy was sitting with his usual dainty perch on the plastic chair in the visitor's section. He was in a soft white shirt, with his hair artfully falling over his brow, with an injured expression on his face.

"-I can decide for myself," Andy continued, clearly in a huff. "Tang Yi, don't you think I'm right?"

"I'm not about to take sides between the two of you. Andy, you know this."

"And then, he had the temerity to say that I would only be bothering you!" Andy went on. "There are times when I really can't stand him. Tang Yi, can you tell him-"

It seemed counterproductive to point out the obvious, but Tang Yi tried. "Andy, I'm in prison. I can't do anything about your relationship problem. If it is even a problem. You should talk to him."

Andy scowled. "But you are the one who introduced us." It looked like if he could have reached through the plexiglass window to grab Tang Yi and shake him, he would have.

Tang Yi wondered why this was his life. "Are you here to actually visit me or are you here to complain about your boyfriend?"

"Yes."

 

/tbc


	2. It takes a partner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And though he had not expected it either, this is how Tang Yi got to know Zhao Zi.

Tang Yi entered the visiting area, his alarm growing when he saw that it was Zhao Zi rather than Meng Shao Fei. He had come to know Shao Fei's partner, though the other man still seemed to be a little wary of him – he was not someone who would visit him in prison out of friendship. Besides, Tang Yi was expecting Shao Fei. 

"What happened to Shao Fei?" he asked the moment he sat down and placed the receiver for the intercom to his ear.

"Ah Fei is fine," Zhao Zi said into the mouthpiece distinctly. "He's just down with the flu." He met Tang Yi's gaze, his face comically enlarged by a warped patch of the reinforced plexiglass between them. "Here," he held up his phone, "I had to get special dispensation to let them agree to show you this." He played a video clip on it, holding it up at eye level.

Tang Yi drank in the sight of Shao Fei first, and a knot loosened in his gut to see that he seemed to be uninjured, if pale. Shao Fei was sitting up in Tang Yi's bed, dressed in pyjamas that looked like they were one wear away from the rag bag, his nose swollen and reddened and there were huge shadows under his eyes. "Tang, sorry I can't see you tomorrow," he said into the camera with a wan smile that hinted at his usual bright grin. "I'm stuck here. The quack threatened to sedate me if I tried to get out of bed." 

That was a reference to Dr Jiang, and Tang Yi relaxed a little more, knowing that at least his friend was taking care of Shao Fei, and was just unsympathetic enough that he wasn't going to give in to Shao Fei's pleas and orders, and that he was going to make sure that Shao Fei was recovering, or else. 

Shao Fei went on, his voice raspy, "I'll be okay, I'm taking my pills and I just need to get enough rest. I'll come and see you next week, I promise. Hope everything's fine with you. Take care of your health, okay? I've nearly forgotten how horrible it is to be sick. I miss you, and I love you." The recording ended there. 

"Again."

He'd made Zhao Zi play it three times more before he was finally reassured.

"He's really fine?"

Zhao Zi nodded. "Yes," he said. He didn't seem impatient or annoyed at Tang Yi's question. "He'll be okay. He had a high fever, but it broke after the first day. Dr Jiang said there's a nasty strain of flu going around, and Ah Fei was unlucky enough to catch it. He's going to insist on flu shots for Ah Fei after this."

Tang Yi could imagine Shao Fei's indignant reaction at that, as though Shao Fei was there in person, and all of a sudden he missed Shao Fei so much that he felt as though he was going to shatter. He wanted to be there for Shao Fei, to hold him, to soothe him through any discomfort and take care of him. But he was stuck here, and it tore at him.

For all his naïve exterior, Zhao Zi seemed to sense his turmoil, and waited in silence while Tang Yi pushed down all his frustration and longing. "Thank you," he said after he regained his composure, and explained himself awkwardly at Zhao Zi's inquiring look, "for coming to tell me about him. I'd have been worried."

"Ah Fei insisted on it," Zhao Zi confessed. "And it made him feel better, that he knew that you weren't going to be worried about why he couldn't come. If that makes sense."

"Please tell him to take care of himself," Tang Yi said. "I know how seriously he takes work, but it's important to recover fully first."

Zhao Zi's expression was a mixture of 'you tell him' and 'boy do I know'. He nodded with a dip of his head. "I'll tell him. Maybe that'll encourage him not to work so much like a maniac that he gets sick."

"Has he been working too hard?" The Meng Shao Fei that he knew, also the one who worked tirelessly to investigate Xing Tian Meng and his doings, was something of a workaholic. Tang Yi was – used to be the same way – so he could empathise.

A shrug. "He's usually not that extreme. But we've a new boss, and Ah Fei wants to prove himself, so he's been throwing himself into case after case."

Prove himself? The Officer Meng Shao Fei that he knew was already well-known even to gangsters as a conscientious cop, with good instincts and a high solve rate. There wasn’t much reason for Shao Fei to push himself so hard in particular, except for-

"It's because of me," Tang Yi concluded, knowing he'd come to the correct conclusion at Zhao Zi's sudden flush. "Once it became known that he was in a relationship with me, your higher-ups, not to mention the other cops, would become suspicious of him, assuming that that he has been bribed by Xing Tian Meng, or that he'd be biased."

"He's not," Zhao Zi said hotly, forgetting that he was defending Shao Fei's integrity to the one person who had the least reason to suspect it. "Ah Fei wouldn’t be influenced like that. And it's all stupid gossip anyway. If they had evidence that he's taken bribes, or actual proof that he's biased, they'd have taken him off duty already."

"Ah." Tang Yi knew he couldn't expect everything to be smooth-going for Shao Fei, not after everything that had gone down, and fervently wished that he was out there to be with him.

"It's shit," Zhao Zi went on, surprising Tang Yi, who hadn't expected the baby-faced officer to swear. "I mean, Ah Zhi-ge was the one who did so many horrible things, on top of collaborating with Xing Tian Meng to deal with drugs, while Lao Da covered up for him. They are the ones who are actually in the wrong, and those people pick on Ah Fei instead."

Tang Yi observed cynically, "He's the nearest target, and his presence reminds the others of what they missed out." It was only due to Shao Fei's dogged pursuit of him and Xing Tian Meng, with help from Chen Wen Hao, that the truth about the murders of Tang-ye and Li Zhen were revealed. "If it weren't for him, you police would not have to deal with the bad publicity about having traitors in your midst."

"That's perverse."

"But true," Tang Yi studied the man who was Shao Fei's trusted work partner. "I know you've been a good friend and partner to Shao Fei, Officer Zhao," he said. "I'm grateful that he has you."

"Whoa." Zhao Zi's expression went through a series of changes, before settling on amazed. "For a moment I felt- No wonder Ah Fei likes you so much," he said, his eyes big like a child.

Was Shao Fei aware of how artless his partner was, the way he simply blurted everything out without reservation? How did this man continue to be a cop in this ugly world?

"I'm not saying that just to win you over," Tang Yi said to him. "With everything that has happened, I know that I can't take anyone's loyalty for granted. I never thought Ah De and He Hang would betray me, and I never imagined that someone from the police would have been collaborating with them. But it happened."

Zhao Zi's expression darkened at that, and Tang Yi suddenly realised that the other cop had been deeply hurt by the revelations of what his (former) captain and colleague had done. Then again, even Tang Yi himself, who would consider himself jaded about human nature, had found the discovery unsettling. What more this Zhao Zi, who had probably became a cop with the aim of protecting the innocent and upholding justice? 

Ideals-wise, Zhao Zi and Shao Fei were very similar, he realised, but he thought that Shao Fei was more matter-of-fact and accepting. He was grateful for that: it was probably the only thing that enabled Shao Fei to look past his identity as Xing Tian Meng's boss , and see that there was something in him to love. Just like all those years ago, when Tang-ye had seen past his defensive shell to the lonely child underneath.

"Ah Fei doesn't seem to be so troubled," Zhao Zi said. "He even said he understood why Lao Da had done it!"

He was referring to his and Shao Fei's former captain, who had chosen to look the other way four years ago because of a moment's weakness. "Shao Fei tries to understand that everyone has their difficulties," Tang Yi said. "It doesn't mean he approves of their actions." He studied Zhao Zi's anguished expression. "I'm the best example of that, but he's waiting for me anyway."

The cop nodded slowly. "I see…" he said, still looking troubled.

Tang Yi couldn't help feeling sympathetic for Shao Fei's partner. "You can talk to Shao Fei about it, you know. Or even Jack." He still didn't like his ex-subordinate, but judging by the massive soft spot that Jack had for Zhao Zi, he knew that Jack would do anything to help Zhao Zi feel better (not that way).

Zhao Zi blushed bright red at the mention of Jack. "Oh! You think so?"

"It's something he's come across before," Tang Yi said blandly. By personal experience and deed, a snide voice in his mind reminded him. That lying traitor. A petty part of Tang Yi hoped that Jack would suffer at least some pangs of guilt – for being a lying traitor – when Zhao Zi turned those watery, bewildered eyes on him and asked him why there were some people in the world who behaved so deplorably.

Zhao Zi was nodding to himself, seemingly yet to make the connection. "All right." He gave a sigh. "I've got to go. Thanks for talking to me about-" he waved a hand, "-even though I was here just to pass on Ah Fei's message."

"I would not regard you only as a messenger. You're Shao Fei's friend, and I know you're a good friend to him." Tang Yi meant it, too. 

Zhao Zi beamed at him, all troubles seemingly forgotten. "Thanks! So we're friends too, right? Since Ah Fei said that you aren’t a gangster anymore, and you and him are together."

Tang Yi could see why even Jack (that lying traitor), who usually came across as cool and indifferent to the entire world, could be so fascinated by Zhao Zi. There was an innocent charm to him that was nearly irresistible. "I would be honoured, Officer Zhao." 

"Just call me Zhao Zi, everyone does." The cop glanced at his watch and blinked in surprise. "Oh, I really need to go and help out with the case now that Ah Fei is sick. Don't worry, I'll make sure Ah Fei takes his medicine and rests well." He stood up, pocketed his phone and waved at Tang Yi with an outstretched hand. "Bye, Tang Yi!" he said, loud enough for the guards to glare at him.

Tang Yi found that even though he still missed Shao Fei, he was smiling.

/tbc

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realise I'm making Tang Yi a little grudgy about Jack, but it's fun to show that Tang Yi has his petty side, hehe.


	3. Five (or six) times in visits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Five times Tang Yi wished he could reach through the visitor's window and grab Shao Fei to give him a shake (and a kiss) and one time Shao Fei did so.

**1\. The one where Meng Shao Fei (predictably) is injured**

Tang Yi wouldn't have considered himself especially impulsive, except for recent events during his plan for Tang-ye's revenge, and when the well-being of those he cared about was at stake. When all was said and done, he considered himself a cool-headed person. Growing up under Tang-ye's tutelage helped with that, and the years of leading Xing Tian Meng honed the side of his personality that favoured steady, calm action.

He therefore felt that he was being extremely calm right now.

"Show me."

The man on the other side of the visitor's window attempted to look surprised, but the guilty glance down his front had already given him away. Nonetheless, he blustered. "Show you what?"

Tang Yi stared pointedly at his lover, then jerked his chin just the tiniest bit at the place he meant. "There."

Meng Shao Fei's face was a comical picture of dismay. "But how did you-" he shut his mouth immediately.

Forcing himself to remain seated, Tang Yi pressed his lips in a firm line, trying to convey his insistence through expression alone, since reaching through the window to grab Shao Fei by his shoulders to give him a hard, furious shake was plainly not possible. 

"Meng Shao Fei." He prompted when there was no reply after those words. It looked like his lover was still staring at him, dumbfounded.

"But I-" 

Tang Yi tilted his head a fraction as if to say, and your point is? "I'm still waiting," he said.

Under his steady stare, Shao Fei's face grew red with guilt. "All right," he said. "But remember that I'm totally fine and the doctor said the bruises will fade after a few days."

"Shao Fei!" Couldn't the man see that all the demurrals only added to Tang Yi's anxiety?

"Okay, okay," Shao Fei said, as though in surrender. He looked behind Tang Yi, caught the eye of the warden standing guard at the door behind Tang Yi, and gave the warden a totally ridiculous wave as if to say, "I'm going to do something totally harmless, don't mind me." Then he stood up and slowly rolled up the edge of his T-shirt.

Even though he was prepared for it, Tang Yi couldn't help a sigh of worry as large bruises in technicolour, each roughly the size of a man's shoe, covering the left side of Shao Fei's torso, came into view. He looked like someone – several someones – had tried to trample on him.

"I'm fine," said the thoroughly frustrating cop who must have got through life as a cop through pure luck alone, judging by his tendency to get injured and to jump into situations without thinking ahead.

Such as using _his own body_ as a bullet shield.

"Did you arrest the bastard, at least?" Tang Yi asked, to hide his urge to demand that Shao Fei quit his job immediately because it was too dangerous. Shao Fei loved being a cop, and he had to trust him.

Shao Fei rolled down his shirt slowly and sat down. "Yes, of course we caught him," he said. "What do you take me for? I'm Meng Shao Fei!" he began, then caught Tang Yi's expression, and the show of bravado evaporated in an instant. He looked wryly at Tang Yi. "Tang, I'm really fine. Even the quack said so. It's painful, but it's not actually that serious. You know that I bruise easily, and my bruises even turn all colours: purple, green, yellow, the entire rainbow!" 

Tang Yi did know that, remembering the first time he insisted on rubbing medicated ointment on Shao Fei's back. The bruises didn't look like much at first, but had indeed blossomed into multicolour patches after only a day. He breathed a little easier, but didn't let Shao Fei see that. There was something more. "You're in a dangerous job, Officer Meng," he said. 

The corners of Shao Fei's eyes were crinkled up with his smile. "I know, Tang Yi. Really, you don't have to worry. Except for this time, I haven't got as much as a papercut for months."

Tang Yi doubted that. He had seen Shao Fei sport a few scratches or small bruises before, and accepted those as an unavoidable part of Shao Fei's rough and tumble work. But right now, Shao Fei was still being evasive. Time to turn on the pressure. He leant forward, looking into Shao Fei's eyes, memorising anew every part of his face. "I know you're being careful," he said, "but even if one day, you got injured, promise me that you won't hide it from me."

"Of course!" Shao Fei responded reflexively, then blinked at him when Tang Yi's words sank in and he started to look a little panicked. "All… right? I-I promise."

Too innocent by half, even now. Tang Yi went on, his gaze still focused on Shao Fei, as gently as he could, "Shao Fei, I worry all the more when I'm stuck in here, and know that something is wrong, but I don't have all the details. I already feel guilty for shooting you, and now it kills me that I can't be outside to protect you."

"I can protect m-myself. You-you don't have to feel guilty, Tang Yi-" Shao Fei's expression was complex, and after a moment he gave a groan, loud enough that the warden glanced towards them. "How do you do this?!" he groaned. 

Tang Yi sat back, crossing his arms and staring at his lover blandly. Five, four, three…

"Fine!" Shao Fei exclaimed. He twisted to one side on his seat, braced himself and raised his right foot, showing Tang Yi the thick bandage wrapped around it. "Twisted my ankle," he said. "It's a simple sprain, it'll be fine in no time." He put the foot down. "And that is all, I swear."

"Thank you, Officer Meng," Tang Yi deadpanned, then sighed. "I wasn't joking about how much I worry, but you don't have to pretend that things are fine to me. I'd rather worry than be kept in the dark."

Shao Fei scowled at him. "It's the quack, isn't it? He tattled on me." He subsided into a pout at the unfairness of the universe.

 

**2\. The one where Shao Fei went undercover**

"You kissed him."

Shao Fei gave Tang Yi an injured look. "Me? No!" he exclaimed.

Tang Yi studied his lover (relieved to see him none the worse for wear but also with a tell-tale blush on his cheek), not wanting to say too much, now that he was aware of his own complex emotions about the whole undercover gig. "So you didn't kiss him?"

"Yes! I mean no!" Shao Fei's voice squeaked and he uncharacteristically ran his hands through his hair, leaving it tangled and one curl in particular sticking out even more obviously than usual. "I might have? Sort of?" he said slowly, sounding lost. "It was just for show," he added. 

Tang Yi had been furious when he heard about the new assignment. The parameters of the undercover job aside, it was proof that Shao Fei's superiors were assigning him more than his fair share of the most difficult jobs. Shao Fei was prevented from telling him anything beyond the bare minimum, but Tang Yi did have his informants from outside.

Andy, for example.

"What happened?" he asked. At Shao Fei's silence, he added, "Don't say it's confidential, I'm not accepting that. Since you're here, it means you have wrapped up the mission." 

A glimmer of a smile touched Shao Fei's lips. "Yeah, it's done, and we got the perps," he said. "They won't be hurting innocent people anymore." That fact seemed to bolster his confidence, and he met Tang Yi's eyes for the first time since the visit. 

The triumph in his face was mixed with vulnerability, however, which made Tang Yi swallow. "But?" he prompted.

Shao Fei leant close enough that his breath misted on the glass panel between them. "I kissed him," he said, referring to the man he had pretended to be a couple with. The mission had been to apprehend a blackmailing and extortion ring that recorded private encounters between men at a bar and threatened the victims with them.

"He was tall," _like you_ , Shao Fei didn't say, "well-dressed. Good looking. I- we didn't do much, I told them I wasn't going to... We pretended to make eyes at each other, we slow danced, we hugged..."

Tang Yi waited motionlessly, sensing there was more.

"We kissed. It was nice," Shao Fei added meditatively, as though to place a veneer of professionalism on the whole thing by giving the kiss a clinical assessment. "We took one of the private rooms, pretended to make out, groping each other and all that, then Jun Wei and the others swooped in and arrested them all."

Still Tang Yi said nothing.

"Then we booked them at the station, and a couple of the new detectives teased me. Nothing really bad, just teasing... Then I went home and I thought about the kiss. I thought I would feel guilty, but I didn't. Because I was missing you the whole time." His voice broke again, and he looked down.

Tang Yi looked at Shao Fei's hunched shoulders and wished he could touch him, if only for a moment. He hated the fact that he was here, while Shao Fei was on the other side. He needed to hold Shao Fei close, to let him know that he was not alone. Shao Fei was always the upbeat one, the fearless one, the one undeterred by Tang Yi's negativity. It was times like these that reminded Tang Yi that Shao Fei was not as unbreakable as he made himself out to be.

After a few minutes, Shao Fei looked up, the corners of his eyes slightly red, but he was attempting to get himself under control. "Hey, Tang," he said. "Don't miss me too much okay?" he went on, repeating the words he had said when they parted outside the prison complex. "I couldn't bear it if you also- also-"

"Also missed you so much that I'm at the ends of my endurance?" Tang Yi asked, unable to stop his own voice from shaking.

Shao Fei looked as though he was on the verge of breaking down. "Tang Yi-" he said, the name coming out more as a moan. He pressed both palms to his eyes.

"Shao Fei."

No response, just a man who was trying to stop his shoulders from shaking.

It was several minutes before Shao Fei took a shuddering breath, and removed his hands. His eyes were reddened and his eyes bright, but he managed to look at Tang Yi with what seemed like his usual self. 

"Listen," Tang Yi leant forward now, close enough that he could see every individual wet eyelash on Shao Fei's cheeks. "You are Meng Shao Fei. You stand up for justice and you protect the innocent. You never compromise on what is important to you. You did well this time. I love you, and I trust you." 

There was a long silence. Slowly, Shao Fei nodded, and Tang Yi was glad to see that he looked better. "I don't know why-"

"You know why."

A nod. "Yeah." He took a number of deep breaths as though to centre himself. "I miss you too, Tang Yi," he said. "Very much. I love you."

They sat in silence until visiting time was up.

 

**3\. The one where Shao Fei brushes up against the remnants of Chen Wen Hao's gang**

"Shao Fei, I know."

"You know? How do you even know?" Shao Fei exclaimed. "Even I didn't know!"

"You do now."

Shao Fei's expression was pure consternation. "Me? Now? How?"

"Yes, Officer Meng."

"It can't be!"

The prison warden standing guard at the side, appeared to be swivelling his head back and forth at their tennis-like exchange. He was familiar with both Tang Yi and Shao Fei, having been assigned guard duty to the visiting room on a regular basis in the past months, but Tang Yi could see that their loud exclamations on this occasion puzzled him. 

Tang Yi focused on Shao Fei, still unwillingly amused at his expression. "Yes, it can be. You may not like it, but that's how it is."

Shao Fei seemed only half-convinced. "But-" he lowered his voice, "Chen Wen Hao is dead."

"Even so."

"Why would they-"

Despite his mission to continue with cleaning house in Xing Tian Meng, Tang Yi was indignant on behalf of the gangsters in general. "Do you think so little of the loyalty of those who are gangsters, Meng Shao Fei?"

Shao Fei said, "It's not that, it's-" He subsided, his expression turned inward with thought.

Tang Yi glared at him. There were times when the gap between their two worlds loomed large, and this was one of them. "Be very careful of what you're about to say," he warned. One wrong word, and he was going to reach through the glass barrier and give his lover a good shake.

"All right," Shao Fei admitted. "I was wrong."

"Excuse me, Officer Meng, I thought I heard something about you admitting you were wrong."

Shao Fei looked pained. "I was biased against gangsters," he said. "I let my own prejudices colour my views. I thought the worst of them." 

Tang Yi breathed out, letting his anger die down. He looked at his lover, almost daring him to look away. "Don't forget, Meng Shao Fei. I'm a gangster too, just like Tang-ye. And just like Chen Wen Hao."

"Tang-"

"I can stop the illegal activities, and I can promise never to break the law. But the thing is, you never really leave." Especially him, the leader of Xing Tian Meng. Tang-ye had wished that he would be able to put Xing Tian Meng behind him one day, but Tang Yi had always known that it was impossible. There were things about being in a gang that you couldn’t shake. You didn't snitch on each other. You didn't sell out your brothers for profit. You would protect your brothers' nearest and dearest. You would take a bullet for the brothers in the gang.

Tang Yi was aware that his vision was an idealised one, but it was one that he learnt from Tang-ye, and he was determined to uphold Tang-ye's vision too. It was why he worked so hard to clean up Xing Tian Meng, rather than walk away altogether, or simply disbanding Xing Tian Meng, because he had to think of everyone in the gang. 

Shao Fei nodded slowly. "I get that, I think," he said. 

"And that is why you shouldn't be so surprised that Chen Wen-" Tang Yi cut himself short, not wanting to say the name a second time. "That is why you shouldn't be surprised that he had ordered his men never to hurt you if they ever ran into you." 

Three days ago, Meng Shao Fei had led his team to bust a drug deal and as usual, had expected heavy resistance. But the gangsters involved had recognised Shao Fei as not only a cop, but "that cop", and referred to "Chen-ye's orders". They put up zero resistance rather than fight their way out, and surrendered immediately.

Tang Yi had got to know of the police raid through his grapevine, and of what the gangsters did.

Shao Fei looked thoughtful. "You know about this?"

"It's what I would have done," he said. It was what he _had_ ordered. Everyone knew not to touch a hair on Officer Meng Shao Fei's head. To do so would be a blatant act of disrespect to Tang Yi and Xing Tian Meng. And as it happened, Chen Wen Hao's former subordinates had respected his wishes even though he was now dead. For a second, Tang Yi was grateful to the man, for helping to keep Shao Fei safe. But it would also complicate things for Shao Fei. 

 

**4\. The one where Shao Fei celebrates Tang Yi's birthday**

Tang Yi almost laughed out loud at the sight of Shao Fei wearing a paper party hat and holding a cupcake with an unlit candle stuck on it.

Shao Fei gave him an exaggerated look of injury. "Don't laugh, I nearly had to pull rank to get to see you today." 

Tang Yi sat down, knowing that his eyes were bright with unshed tears, even as he continued to smile at his boyfriend. "You could have done this at the next visiting day."

"It wouldn't have been the same," Shao Fei said. "I promised to celebrate your birthday with you every year, and I, Meng Shao Fei, will always abide by my own word!" With the guard's help, the cupcake was brought inside, and deposited right in front of Tang Yi. It was decorated with bright yellow icing. "Happy birthday, Tang," Shao Fei said.

"Thank you for celebrating it with me."

Shao Fei said softly, "Make a wish."

Tang Yi said, "No, you make a wish."

 

**5\. The one where Shao Fei is targeted by Internal Affairs**

"Explain." 

"Huh, what do you mean? Explain what? There's nothing to explain." The babbling itself gave Meng Shao Fei away, however, as did the dark shadows under his eyes.

"Your partner Zhao Zi was here last week. While you were supposedly called away to Yilan suddenly for an important meeting." He placed no particular emphasis on any word in his sentence, but stared at Shao Fei with his best, as Shao Fei would say, dead man's glare. 

While Shao Fei was frustratingly immune to the fear-inducing aspects of his glare, he knew Tang Yi well enough to pick up on what Tang Yi was trying to do. Characteristically, his reaction was belligerent.

"That Zhao Zi, I'm going to teach him a good lesson about keeping his mouth shut," he grumbled, then met Tang Yi's eyes. "I don't know what he told you," he went on, "but-"

"Internal investigation into your finances. Complaints of running biased investigations. Temporary suspension from duty. And-" the last part worried him most, "bullying by your new captain and colleagues."

Shao Fei slumped back. "Damn it, Zhao Zi," he muttered, not quite under his breath.

"It's true? All of it?"

Shao Fei's face fell for a split second, enough for Tang Yi to see how much of a blow it was for his professionalism to be put into question. But he rallied with a smile. "But they didn't find anything! I'm fine," he said. 

"The rest?"

Grimacing, Shao Fei admitted, "I'm on administrative leave. But only until next week, now that they've found that my finances are clean."

"And?" Tang Yi continued to glare. 

"They've audited my investigations."

"And?"

"And nothing. They found that everything was done by the book. What's with all this questioning? Am I the detective, or you?"

"Your captain?" Tang Yi asked, ignoring Shao Fei's attempt at deflecting.

"It was only a few dumb remarks," Shao Fei leant back a fraction, as though overwhelmed, when Tang Yi glared even more pointedly at him.

"Like what?"

Shao Fei replied almost too quickly, "Nothing to be concerned about. It's okay, Tang."

Tang Yi wished that he could get his hands on his lover right that moment. Preferably alone in a place with some kind of horizontal surface, because he was sure Meng Shao Fei would be a lot more forthcoming after a thorough reaming.

"Don't look like that," Shao Fei added, as though aware of the direction of Tang Yi's thoughts. "It's only the new captain and the two new members of the team. Yu Qi and Zhao Zi and the rest know I'm not like that. They'll help convince the others."

Tang Yi rather thought it was more than a few remarks, judging by what Zhao Zi said. And even if Shao Fei brushed it aside, that kind of insinuation was damaging, both personally and professionally, which was the intention. Studying his lover's strained expression, he could tell that the words had hurt. Shao Fei had always been proud of being a cop who was upright and honest. Denigrating that part of him was the easiest way to hurt Shao Fei.

"My lawyer has instructions to refer you to someone she knows," he said, remembering the conversation he had with the resourceful, quick-witted professional sent by Shi Hai Group earlier in the week. Hong Ye, naturally, had sent the best she could hire. "Someone who knows their way around the police union, and is experienced in representing cops and protecting their rights in the workplace."

"But-"

"You want to continue being a cop, don't you? You don't want to be suspended or worse, dismissed from just from a few trumped-up complaints."

"There's no need, Tang Yi. After all, I'm innocent," Shao Fei protested, his expression changing to alarm at the mention of dismissal. "I'm not-"

Tang Yi could complete the rest of it: "-one of those corrupt cops". Of course Shao Fei would think that. 

"Of course you aren't," he said to Shao Fei. "You and I both know that. Even your own team knows that. But not everyone does. Your attempt to clear Li Li Zhen's name shows that." 

Even now, it felt strange to say his mother's name. 

Shao Fei was still unconvinced, so he continued, "There are still people who think she had dealings with Xing Tian Meng," though those people were probably smart enough to keep their thoughts to themselves, especially in Shao Fei's earshot. That was the most damaging thing about rumours; you could refute them, but you could never eradicate them. "Then there's him. Chen Wen Hao."

It felt strange to say his father's name too.

"You were seen meeting him in public, and it looked like both of you were on fairly good terms (you hugged him!), and you arranged his funeral after he was found dead."

Tang Yi had not felt up to the arrangements, and Shao Fei had quietly taken over the job, instead of leaving it up to Chen Wen Hao's men. He said he was sure Chen Wen Hao wanted nothing more to do with the gangster world.

"It would look suspicious to anyone looking in from the outside."

His own parentage was still a secret – mostly. Only those men present on that night had heard what Shao Fei said, and Tang Yi's own men would never say a thing. Chen Wen Hao, apparently, had ordered his own men to keep it to themselves too. Shao Fei himself would never reveal it, because he respected Li Li Zhen's privacy too much.

If it ever came out, it would unleash another wave of scandal and investigations, he was sure.

He continued, "You chased me for four years. Just based on that, there are people who will think that you were indeed caught up in something. After all, Zhou Guan Zhi was a corrupt cop." His lips couldn't help twisting at the thought of Tang-ye's (and Li Li Zhen's) killer. He'd agreed to hand over the corrupt cop to the police, but it didn't mean he'd ever stop hating the man. 

At the mention of Zhou Guan Zhi, Shao Fei looked up. "But Tang Yi, I'm not like him. I'm-"

Tang Yi bared his teeth in lieu of actually beating down the visitor's window so he could strangle his lover and make him see sense. "Meng!-" Aware that he was shouting, he made himself calm down. "Meng. Shao. Fei." He bit out each syllable of his lover's name. "I'm trying to reason with you. I've already told you why you're under suspicion and why you need proper representation. Don't you dare reject my arrangements." 

There was silence.

"Meng Shao Fei, are you going to make me repeat myself again?"

"Um." Shao Fei heaved a deep sigh. "I will talk to him. Or her," he said. "Just a talk. I won't promise anything."

 

**6\. And the one where Tang Yi proposes**

Despite the circumstances, it was almost amusing to see the way Shao Fei nearly walked through the closed door in his anxiety. Tang Yi sat up, ignoring the way his head protested his every action. 

Shao Fei stood in front of the bed, looking at him, his face a mixture of emotions. "You are all right," he said, his voice full of wonder.

Tang Yi nodded. "Didn't they tell you?" he asked. 

Hesitatingly, "They said a bunch of them got to you, beat you up…"

"They tried." Not for nothing had Tang Yi trained for years in martial arts and self-defence. That, and the fact that the prison guards made it a point to look out for him, which meant that Tang Yi managed to hold his own long enough for them to notice what had happened, and intervened. If the guards had looked the other way, the situation would have been dire. As it was, Tang Yi knew he was lucky to get away only with a mild concussion.

"Tang Yi…" And then Shao Fei was leaning down, his breath warm on Tang Yi's face for a moment, and they were kissing. 

Tang Yi kissed his lover hungrily, wishing that he wasn't handcuffed to the bed so he could wrap both arms around Shao Fei. But Shao Fei had slipped his hand around Tang Yi, and was dragging him up with a forceful hand, deepening the kiss while holding Tang Yi tight against him.

All too soon, though, Shao Fei stopped and released him, panting slightly. 

Tang Yi sat back. "That's it?" he asked, suddenly remembering that he had asked the exact same question the first time after Shao Fei had tried to seduce him on his living room couch, then declared that they should have sex right away instead of 'wasting time'. At that time, Tang Yi had seen through his bashfulness and teased him about it, but let him go.

Opposite him now, Shao Fei made a face. "Someone could be watching," he nodded towards the two-way mirror placed on one side of the room, "and this is being recorded. I don't feel like giving anyone a show." He looked embarrassed. "Well, more than just now."

Reminded of the surveillance, Tang Yi frowned. The staff had given the excuse that it was for his safety, because they feared another attack, but Tang Yi sensed it was their way of putting him in his place. He wished he didn't care anyway, but he could see that Shao Fei wouldn't be comfortable with that. It was one thing to kiss before people that they knew, like that time in the hospital, but knowing that just anyone could be watching and recording them was not acceptable. 

Back to business then. "I don't mean to sound arrogant," Tang Yi asked, "but who were so audacious as to attack me?"

Shao Fei couldn't help a smirk. His lips were still red from their kiss, but he relaxed and sat down on the bed beside Tang Yi. "Xing Tian Meng's reputation isn't what it used to be, huh," he said with mock sympathy. "Looks like other gangs have lost respect for its young boss as well."

Tang Yi wanted to head-butt him, in the gentlest way possible, of course.

"The police are investigating," Shao Fei went on, turning sober, "but no clues yet as to who gave orders to those men. It would have to be someone with considerable influence, to arrange a coordinated attack like this." He frowned at Tang Yi. "You haven't offended someone without telling me, have you?"

Tang Yi threw him a challenging look. "The great Officer Meng Shao Fei, who harassed me for four years, would be in a position to answer that."

To his surprise, Shao Fei said, "I refuse to answer that."

That sounded like… Tang Yi grabbed his hand. "Shao Fei?"

Shao Fei looked irritated. "Just yesterday, our boss-" he began, then aimed a glare at the security camera set up in a corner.

The 'boss', to Shao Fei, would be the new captain who replaced Captain Shi. The one whom Tang Yi knew was openly suspicious of Shao Fei, and had been, for lack of better word, bullying him. If there was one thing that Tang Yi found regrettable about his own position as Xing Tian Meng's leader, it was that Shao Fei had come under suspicion simply because they were in a relationship together. He knew Shao Fei would never be tempted to collaborate with a gang, but he also knew how difficult it was to disprove it, no matter how hard Shao Fei tried. Perhaps a change of strategy was in order. 

"You know," Tang Yi said casually, "you can always tell your superiors that you are not obligated to reveal everything you learnt about me because I'm your husband."

"That won't-" Shao Fei's eyes widened as the words lined up in his mind. "Tang Yi! Are you honestly, seriously-"

"It's legal now, isn't it?" Tang Yi said. 

Shao Fei nodded. He didn't look as overwhelmed as Tang Yi expected, which made Tang Yi think that somewhere, the notion must have crossed Shao Fei's mind too. He squeezed Shao Fei's hand tightly, hoping that it conveyed all his love and concern.

"Your superiors haven't really found anything against Xing Tian Meng. Or me," he went on. "They must have looked hard, too; eager for any way to shift the attention away from the stigma of corrupt cops. A gang like Xing Tian Meng is too good a target, especially since Chen Wen Hao died soon after he met with me. His death would have attracted major attention, here and abroad, and it would have been a good distraction. They have no proof that I did anything but they want to pin something on me anyway.

"Their next option is to harass you, in the hopes that you'll let something slip. They weren't above a bit of petty revenge against you too, since it was you who dug up the whole mess and showed up the police's ineffectiveness. So. Don't give in to them. You're not obligated to provide them with anything they can use as an excuse against me or Xing Tian Meng. And you'll have a perfect reason to fend off their bullying."

"By getting married."

Tang Yi shrugged with agreement. It was telling that Shao Fei did not object to the 'bullying' tag. "And you'd never be forced to choose sides again." Because there would be only one.

Shao Fei pointed a finger at him. "I'd still be the first to take you in if you did anything fishy. 'fess up, did you ask me to marry you so that I can't testify against you in court next time?"

"There is no 'next time'," Tang Yi said. "I'm not going to get into trouble with the law any more, Officer Meng. You're too important to me, and I'm not going to let anything come between us." He eyed his lover fondly, thinking how typical it was that Shao Fei would try to bluster through a proposal of marriage, in order to hide how touched he felt. Shao Fei was always the one to declare his feelings first, the one to kiss Tang Yi first, and this time Tang Yi knew that he wanted to show his lover that he could take the first step too.

He noted the beginnings of a blush on Shao Fei's cheeks, and savoured the sight, committing it to memory. "Shao Fei, will you marry me?" he asked, putting it as a direct question. "Or are you reluctant to be associated with an ex-convict?"

The pink blush turned into a red flush of anger. "Don't talk nonsense!" Shao Fei burst out. "I'd marry you in the next minute if I could!"

Ah. Tang Yi, for all his earlier certainty, could not help feeling relieved. Of course he didn't doubt Shao Fei's feelings, but marriage was a huge step, after all. "When I'm released, then," he said. The remaining months in prison suddenly felt more bearable, now that he had that to look forward to. "The very next day," he emphasised. 

"Er-" Shao Fei now scratched his head awkwardly. "Actually, now that I think about it, can it be after Hong Ye and Brother Dao Yi's wedding? She will murder us if we steal her thunder."

"Damn." Little sisters were the worst. "Agreed."

/tbc


End file.
